These data represent the special concern (Arctic, Least, and Common) tern core habitat special, sensitive, or unique (SSU) resource mapped in the 2015 Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan. This dataset shows documented breeding, staging (presence of 100 or more individuals), and core foraging areas for three tern species (Arctic, Least, and Common, which are state-listed as species of special concern), based on information from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (DFW NHESP). The breeding and staging sites were identified and mapped by DFW NHESP biologists and buffered 0.3 nautical miles. DFW NHESP biologists identified core foraging areas based upon scientific literature to represent the most important foraging areas, critical to the use of the mapped breeding and staging areas. The area mapped for this SSU resource did not change from the 2009 ocean plan because no new and/or higher quality data were identified. In the 2009 ocean plan, all SSU resources were gridded onto a 250 x 250-meter grid to allow for a consistent comparison of a variety of datasets. For the 2015 ocean plan, SSU resources were mapped in their native format, so the special concern tern core habitat was not gridded.

Purpose:

These data were used in the development of the 2015 Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan.

Supplemental_Information:

The Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan protects critical marine habitat and important water-dependent uses and sets standards for new ocean-based development. In response to the Oceans Act of 2008, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) issued the original ocean plan in December 2009. The Oceans Act requires EEA to review and update the ocean plan at least once every five years. The 2015 Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan, released on January 6, 2015, is the first formal amendment to the 2009 ocean plan. These data were produced to support the development of the 2015 ocean plan.

None. These data are in the public domain. GIS files are freely available for download.

Use_Constraints:

Public domain data from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management as the source of these data. You are not permitted to use CZM's name or to suggest that CZM endorses your project or product, without its express written consent. While efforts have been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the state of the art, CZM cannot assume liability for any damages or misrepresentation caused by any inaccuracies in the data or as a result of changes to the data caused by system transfers. The user must be aware of data conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of these data with respect to possible errors, original map scale, collection methodology, currency of data, and other conditions specific to these data. NOAA mandated language per federal Data Quality Act (DQA): These environmental data and related items of information have not been formally disseminated by NOAA and do not represent and should not be construed to represent any agency determination, view, or policy.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

Contact_Position: CZM Data Manager

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 251 Causeway Street, Suite 800

City: Boston

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02114-2138

Country: US

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 617-626-1200

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 617-626-1240

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: czm@state.ma.us

Hours_of_Service: 0900 hrs to 1600 hrs EST

Data_Set_Credit:

These spatial data were created by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW), Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA).

Attribute_Accuracy_Report: There are no attributes assigned to these data.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

All vector data are presumed to be topologically clean based on a validation of relevant topology rule(s) and visual inspection. No duplicate features exist. The data were visually inspected for missing features and misplaced features.

Completeness_Report:

This dataset contains the entire spatial extent of the SSU resource in the planning area.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: A positional accuracy report was not conducted for these data.

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

1. Buffered breeding and staging sites by 0.3 nautical miles. Identified and mapped core foraging areas, which represent the most important foraging areas, critical to the use of the mapped breeding and staging areas.

Process_Date: 20090401

Process_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 1 Rabbit Hill Road

City: Westborough

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 01581

Country: US

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-389-6300

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

2. Clipped the data to the Massachusetts Ocean Management Planning Area using the Clip tool.

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these data, errors and conditions originating from physical sources used to develop these data may be reflected in the data supplied. The client must be aware of data conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of the information with respect to possible errors, original map scale, collection methodology, currency of data, and other conditions specific to certain data. In no event shall CZM be liable for any damages, whether general, special, incidental or consequential damages, arising out of your use of these data. Your sole remedy for damages is to stop using the data. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless CZM and its employees against any claim, loss, liability or expense, including attorneys' fees, resulting from loss of or damage to property or the injury to or death of any person arising out of the use of the data. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the CZM.